Notorious Waste4Fuel site comes under fire from Environment Agency in High Court battle

Waste4Fuel went up against the Environment Agency (EA) in the High Court today (March 28).

It came after the recycling company put forward an application to increase the amount of waste being brought into the controversial St Paul’s Cray site.

News Shopper reported earlier this month that Waste4Fuel filed an application on March 18, which if granted would allow 200 tonnes (the previous limit was 75) of waste to be offloaded per week.

The EA has expressed concern Waste4Fuel will not comply with a High Court order, acquired last year, which requires all combustible waste to be removed by May 1.

Jon Griffin, a team leader at the agency, this morning said the case has been adjourned for 28 days, noting the judge said the company’s compliance between now and the next appearance will be taken into account.

Mr Griffin, 34, told News Shopper: “We’ve been in court. All the defendants turned up, which is good.

He had previously described progress of waste removal and continual fires at the Cornwall Drive site as “disappointing”.

He added: “The chances of them complying by May 1 are slim to none and they need to be held to account for not doing what they have been asked to do."

At the coming trial the EA will clash with current Waste4Fuel director Shelly Hurst, plant manager Jonathan Beckson, and Brian Hughes, who was in charge until February 1.

Residents nearby have been growing increasingly frustrated by the ongoing problems seen at the plant.

Many have mentioned worries about health problems as a result of fumes being emitted, with some members of the public being physically sick as a result.

In February this year Waste4Fuel was ordered to pay £8,960 after it was prosecuted by London Fire Brigade for stacking flammable in an illegal manner. Fire services have been called to deal with incidents at the site 12 times in the past 12 months.

Comments (6)

After years of fires, disruption and pollution, everybody went to court today to discuss W$F's non-compliance with a previous EA order - AND THE JUDGE ADJOURNED THE CASE !!!!!!!!!!!!

To see if they comply with a different order which has 33 days left to run ????

Meanwhile, all us council tax-payers can sit back and watch our money being wasted by elected representatives and quangos like the EA.

WAKE UP ORPINGTON - IT'S TIME FOR A BIG CHANGE AT THE BALLOT BOX OVER THE COMING YEAR OR SO.

So just to recap:
After years of fires, disruption and pollution, everybody went to court today to discuss W$F's non-compliance with a previous EA order - AND THE JUDGE ADJOURNED THE CASE !!!!!!!!!!!!
To see if they comply with a different order which has 33 days left to run ????
Meanwhile, all us council tax-payers can sit back and watch our money being wasted by elected representatives and quangos like the EA.
WAKE UP ORPINGTON - IT'S TIME FOR A BIG CHANGE AT THE BALLOT BOX OVER THE COMING YEAR OR SO.The Fozziest of Bears

You think a Labour, UKIP or LibDem MP and/or council would persuade the judge otherwise? The law's the **** here and, as you stated, the judge made the decision, not our elected representatives or any quango.

You think a Labour, UKIP or LibDem MP and/or council would persuade the judge otherwise? The law's the **** here and, as you stated, the judge made the decision, not our elected representatives or any quango.Slonik

Slonok,
there are many things the local MP and Bromley Council can do to stop this - otherwise we would all open up a recycling plant in our garden wouldn't we !

They have a licence, because waste transfer and processing is a licenced industry. Their licence can be revoked in an instant and stop them trading.

Bromley can bring any number of environmental issues into play and cease all activity at the plant.

The EA can build an inspection rig at the entrance and ask that all waste is inspected for flammable material before it is accepted. This will cause a tailback of lorries and the hauliers will go elsewhere with their load because of the time it takes to unload at W4F.

I am not a paid, elected representative - but I have just solved the immediate problem in 3 different ways.

Slonok,
there are many things the local MP and Bromley Council can do to stop this - otherwise we would all open up a recycling plant in our garden wouldn't we !
They have a licence, because waste transfer and processing is a licenced industry. Their licence can be revoked in an instant and stop them trading.
Bromley can bring any number of environmental issues into play and cease all activity at the plant.
The EA can build an inspection rig at the entrance and ask that all waste is inspected for flammable material before it is accepted. This will cause a tailback of lorries and the hauliers will go elsewhere with their load because of the time it takes to unload at W4F.
I am not a paid, elected representative - but I have just solved the immediate problem in 3 different ways.The Fozziest of Bears

lol - There are very different rules pertaining to authorised sites for waste and our back gardens. It's the EA's remit to control the use of this site NOT Bromley's.

You can't just revoke a licence without going through due legal process which is what's happening now - albeit slow. If Bromley were to do that they'd be open to legal action and I dare say you'd blame them for that too.

If the EA were to locate an inspection rig outside the site that'd have nothing to do with Bromley or our elected representative either.

So still not clear what your suggestion about changing the 'colour' of our local politicians will achieve and all your suggestions are pie in the sky.

lol - There are very different rules pertaining to authorised sites for waste and our back gardens. It's the EA's remit to control the use of this site NOT Bromley's.
You can't just revoke a licence without going through due legal process which is what's happening now - albeit slow. If Bromley were to do that they'd be open to legal action and I dare say you'd blame them for that too.
If the EA were to locate an inspection rig outside the site that'd have nothing to do with Bromley or our elected representative either.
So still not clear what your suggestion about changing the 'colour' of our local politicians will achieve and all your suggestions are pie in the sky.Slonik

You or I can get an immediate injunction to stop something being in tomorrows newspaper - but it takes months to stop W4F poisoning the population. Come off it !

There has already been an exact legal procedure explained on here which would close the site at once - Bromley has any number of powers under the Local Government Act to over-rule the EA when the health and safety of local residents is at risk.

You should be asking yourself WHY the elected representatives are keeping silent on this (instead of questioning me).

There must be a reason that they have not uttered a word on this.

Don't believe all the rubbish that we get told by the authorities.
You or I can get an immediate injunction to stop something being in tomorrows newspaper - but it takes months to stop W4F poisoning the population. Come off it !
There has already been an exact legal procedure explained on here which would close the site at once - Bromley has any number of powers under the Local Government Act to over-rule the EA when the health and safety of local residents is at risk.
You should be asking yourself WHY the elected representatives are keeping silent on this (instead of questioning me).
There must be a reason that they have not uttered a word on this.The Fozziest of Bears